With Matt Reeves still attending to an ongoing family matter, Steven Soderbergh is stepping in to help complete the final weeks of principal photography on The Batman Part II.
Production on the DC Studios sequel had previously paused while Reeves stepped away from the set. Now, rather than wait indefinitely, Soderbergh will work with Reeves, the cast, and crew to finish shooting while Reeves remains involved remotely and plans to return for post-production.
DC Studios confirmed the arrangement, saying Soderbergh approached Reeves about helping finish the film and would work closely with him to preserve Reeves’ vision.
That part matters.
Soderbergh is not taking over The Batman Part II. Reeves remains the film’s writer-director, and the plan is for the two filmmakers to stay in communication through the end of principal photography before Reeves resumes control of post.
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The Batman Part II pauses production
“I thought Matt Reeves’ work on The Batman was stunning; it was intentional, specific, and rigorously coherent,” Soderbergh said. “The goal here is to work with Matt and his team to generate footage that will integrate seamlessly with what’s already been shot so Matt can properly finish his film.”
Reeves also confirmed he is not leaving the project and thanked Soderbergh for stepping in while he handles the personal matter.
Filming had been underway in London before the pause.
The Batman Part II is currently scheduled to open February 18, 2028, although it remains too early to know whether the production interruption will affect that date.
Robert Pattinson returns as Bruce Wayne/Batman, alongside Andy Serkis as Alfred and Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb/Penguin.
The expanding cast also includes Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Brian Tyree Henry, Jayme Lawson, Charles Dance, Gil Perez-Abraham and Sebastian Koch.
Reeves co-wrote and directed 2022’s The Batman, which earned approximately $772.8 million worldwide and launched the Reeves-led corner of DC’s Gotham universe.
Bringing in Soderbergh is an unusual solution to an unusual production problem, but perhaps also an unusually reassuring one.
Few filmmakers are better known for moving quickly, working efficiently and adapting without losing control of a movie’s tone. If the assignment is simply to get the remaining footage in the can without making it suddenly look like somebody else’s Batman movie, Soderbergh is a pretty formidable pinch hitter.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
